TWU presents a supernatural season of theatre

Trinity Western University’s School of the Arts, Media + Culture (SAMC) presents a sublime season of supernatural stories, woven together with the magic of live theatre. Mainstage productions include a Broadway musical, a Christmas comedy, a magical action-adventure story, and the premiere of a brand new play commissioned especially for SAMC.

The Illusion is the fantastical season opener, running October 21 – November 1. In this tale of magic and treachery, a mysterious illusionist reconnects a grieving father with his prodigal son...but where is the line between dream and reality? Can one vision change the course of a man’s life? Kate Muchmore directs Tony Kushner’s acclaimed adaptation of the popular 17th century comedy, combining elegant poetry with witty, contemporary surprises.

SAMC Theatre’s new Artist-in-Residence, Paul Muir, visits from Alberta’s Rosebud Theatre to direct a very un-traditional Christmas story from November 18 – 29. William Gibson’s heart-warming holiday hit is called The Butterfingers Angel, Mary & Joseph, Herod the Nut, & the Slaughter of 12 Hit Carols in a Pear Tree. In other words, there’s some serious comedy in this quirky retelling of the Nativity. The show has roles for children, and open auditions will be held Thursday, September 11 for young thespians across the Fraser Valley. Email theatre@twu.ca for more information.

From January 27 – 31, SAMC Theatre will premiere an exciting new script by a distinguished TWU alumna, Mary Eden (’10). Eden is a playwright and actor currently working in New York City. Her play, As Little Children, is a touching family drama that follows an intuitive young girl through a whimsical world of innocent faith and divine intervention.

The season finale is The Drowsy Chaperone, playing March 10-28. It’s a high-flying 1920s musical that celebrates all the things people love about musicals, while poking fun at the rest. What begins as a lonely dreamer’s fantasy world spins into a topsy-turvy love story that’s so enchanting, it must be real. Angela Konrad directs this scandalously funny spectacle, which brings together a triple-threat cast of SAMC's theatre and music students for a tap-dancing good time.